The present invention relates to a polymeric amine for a gas generating material. The gas generating material is particularly useful for inflating a vehicle occupant protection device.
An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is inflated by gas provided by an inflator. The inflator contains a gas generating material. The inflator further includes an igniter. The igniter is actuated to ignite the gas generating material when the vehicle experiences a collision for which inflation of the air bag is desired. As the gas generating material burns, it generates a volume of inflation gas. The inflation gas is directed into the air bag to inflate the air bag. When the air bag is inflated, it expands into the vehicle occupant compartment and helps to protect the vehicle occupant.
A typical gas generating material for use in an inflator for inflating a vehicle occupant protection device includes an oxidizer and a fuel bound into a solid mass by a binder. Fuels used in a gas generating material often have amino functional groups. Fuels with amino functional groups exhibit reduced chemical and physical stability when exposed to elevated temperatures, such as those encountered in a fire, or when exposed to temperature cycling.
The present invention is a gas generating material that comprises a polymeric amine. The polymeric amine has a polymer backbone that includes units of 
wherein R is a nitrogen containing organic radical of a nitrogen containing organic fuel that includes a primary amino group.